Train-pipe coupling.



J. PONIATOSKI.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15.19!6.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I J. PONIATOSKI.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1916.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 as L. NM Q awn *N Q \N QM. \QN Q RN I I m mE g E J. PONIATOSKI.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15 mm.

Patented Oct. 17,1916.

3 5HEETS-SHEET 3 gwuenfoz JOSEPH PONIATOSKI, F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Application filed March 15, 1916.

T01! whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josl-lrn PUNIA'I'OSKI, a subject of the (zar of Russia, residing at Grand Rapids. in the county of Kent and State of hlichigan. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Pipe Couplings, of which the following is a spcct fication.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in train pipe coupler.

The primary object oi the in vcntion is the provision of a. serviceable coupler for a pipe 7 line of a 'ailway train and may be advantageously employed attached to the coupler heads of the train and serviceable with such piping as the air brake and heating pipes. V

A further object of the device is the provision of pipe coupler heads rigidly secured to the coupling means of railway cars and providing for flexibly connecting the pipe coupler heads together, such connection being accompanied by the automatic opening of the fluid valves in such heads.

A still further object of the device is the provision of coupler heads for a pipe line having detachable flexible connections which are adapted to automatically release the fluid control valves in such heads when the device is in its coupled up arrangement, a fluid catch device for resiliently retarding the uncoupling of the members being provided in each head.

"With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood. the same consists in the novel combination and arange ment of parts hereinafter fully describedf illustrated in the accompanying drawings and then claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coupling means of two railway cars illustrated in their closed engaging positions and provided. with the present device depending therefrom, the pipes of the line being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view through the device taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, one of the connecting plugs being shown in longitudinal section. Fig. i is a viewtaken on the satne plane as Fig. 3

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1 916.

Serial No. 84,467.

but with the heads uncoupled and separated, one of the heads being partly broken away and shown in top plan. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. :2 with the train couplers as well as the pipe coupling heads uncoupled and separated. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a. portion of one of the head sec tions showing the fluid valve arranged therein held open by the pipe coupling plug. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of a portion of one of the complete pipe coupling heads taken upon a plane corresponding to that of the line VHVII of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a. perspective view of one of the valve members provided for the coupler heads detached. Fig. 9 is a. perspective view of the valve controlling end portion of one of the connection plugs employed therewith. Fig. 10 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1. showing a modified form of constructing the device, and, Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of one of the train couplers provided with this form of pipe coupling heads.

It being understood that the present device is designed for employment with the. usual form of car couplers being suspended therebeneath, the same as herein illustrated consists of two identically formed coupler heads 10 and 11 rigidly attached by means of necks or supports 12 and 13 with the lower faces of a pair of car coupler members 14' and 15 respectively. The said car coupler members 14 and 15 are adapted for mounting at adjacent ends of the cars (not shown) by means of the carrying beams 16 and 17 respectively and are provided with swinging locking jaws 1S oppositely arranged upon the separate coupler members for intercugagemcnt in the usual manner. as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which the coupler members are in their operative locked closed positions retained by means of removable locking pins 19 arranged within the vertical openings 20 of the said coupler members.

The coupler heads 10 and 11 are identical in form bein slightly flattened in appearance and are oppositely positioned lying horizontally, one being arranged beneath each coupler member with which a car is provided whereby the coupler heads 10 and 11 will be arranged in horizontal alinement facing each other when the coupler members 14 and 15 of adjacent cars are operatively positioned, thus allowing a ready connecting up of the adjacent heads 10 and 11 in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Each of the coupler heads 10 and 11 being of identical formation, a description of one of the same will suilice for both, it being understood that each of the present coupler heads is formed of two coiiperating sections 21 and 22 secured together with their flattened inner faces in contact with each other by means of suitable hold fast devices. such as four bolts arranged iuarginally thereof.

The pipes 25 of the car line such as the air brake line or the steam pipe line and which pipes may be either flexible or otherwise are adapted for permanent attachment with the rear reduced ends 25 of the said coupler heads being tapped into the outer open ends of an zingularly positioned fluid passage 26 in each of the said heads. The said coupler heads 10 and 11 are substan tially hand-shaped the aforementioned supply pipes 25 being connected to the rearwardly positioned wrist portions 27 thereof, as just described. The advance or finger portion 28 of each of the heads is provided with an inwardly tapering receiving socket 29 having a flared or shouldered enlarged end 30 at the forward face 31 of the coupler head.

The thumb portion 32 of each coupler head which projects laterally therefrom substantially midway between the aforementioned wrist and finger portions thereof is provided with a forward face 33 arranged in a plane parallel with and rearwardly of the forward face 31 while an angular fluid conduit 3% extends through the coupler head connecting the face 33 thereof with the socket 29 of the head and in effect traversing the said socket at a point adjacent its reduced inner end 35. The portion of the conduit 34 arranged at the side of the socket 29 opposite from the thumb portion 32 of the head is of relatively short length being indicated at 36 and serviceable as a guide for the neck 37 of a disk valve 38.

A leaf spring 39 is arranged within a recess 10 in the wall of the socket 29 and is secured to the head as at 4:1 by means of a flange 42 at one end of the said spring. The opposite end of the spring 39 is secured to the oblique free end of the neck 37 and is arranged with a port 43 which extends through the spring 39 and registers with a branch port it of the valve neck 37. The disk valve 38 is arranged within a valve chamber 46 within the coupler head which chamber communicates with the inner end of the adjacent passage 26 and also with the conduit portion 36, it being noted that a valve seat 47 is arranged at the point of connection of the conduit portion 36 with the chamber 46 and upon which seat the disk valve 38 is normally maintained by means of the resiliency of the valve spring 39 assisted by a coil spring 48 arranged in a depression -19 of the said head and in operative engagement with the said leaf spring 39. .lt will be understood that upon depressing the spring 39 and unseating the valve 38 that the valve port it will communicate with the chamber 46.

A. conical connecting plug 50 is provided for each of the coupler heads having an axial bore 5i extending thcrcthrough and connected with the outer end of the conduit 3-l by means of a flexible pipe connector the said plug 50 having a transverse port 53 extending thcrethrough and intersecting the bore 51. The plug 50 is adapted to snugly fit within the socket 29 and is provided with an annular head 54 adapted to seat within the shouldered portion 30 of the socket, the outer face 55 of the plug lying flush with the head face 31 when the plug is so operatively positioned, the port 53 of the plug then eifecting coninmnication between the spring port 43 and the conduit 3-l and as the inserted plug retains the spring 39 depressed with the valve 38 open, a clear passage is effected for the fluid from one of the pipes 25 through the passage 26, the chamber 46. the ports 44, 43 and 53 to the conduit 34, thence through the connector 52 and the plug bore 51 and thence through the valve and the passage 26 of the adjacent head and outwardly through the other pipe 25, the fluid passage is also effected at the same time between the two pipes 25 by passing through the plug 50 of the receiving head and thence through the conduit 34 of the outlet head in substantially a reverse manner to that set forth so that when the coupler heads 10 and 11 are operatively connected together by means of the introduction of the plugs 50 of each within the sockets 29 of the opp site head two passages are arranged for the fluid between the two line pipes 25.

The head 5% of the plug 50 is provided with an oblique block 56 at one side thereof which must be positioned at the inner side of the finger portion 28 of the head for bringing the plug port 53 in accurate alinement with the conduit 34, the said block being resiliently engaged by an angular presser foot 57, pivoted as at 58 upon the forward portion of the head, when the plug is arranged in its seated position. A chamber 59 is arranged. within each head while a communicating passage 60 is arranged between the same and the adjacent conduit 34, a valve 61 being shiftably positioned in the chamber 59 and having a stem 62 pivotally connecting the said presser foot 57.

It will be understood that when the plug 50 is operatively seated as best illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the foot 57 will be maintained in engagement with the block 56 b means of the fluid pressure within the c amber 59 entering the same from the conduit 34 through the passage 60, thus eflecting a resilient retaining means for the plug.

The complete operation of the device will be at once apparent from this detailed description thereof, the heads being normally arranged separated and oppositely positioned facing each other as best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings and upon approaching each other, the plug 50 of each head is readily forced into the socket 29 of the adjacent head, thus automatically releasing each of the disk valves 38 and operating the presser feet 57. The coupler heads 10 and 11 are thus retained in their coupled relations during all ordinary operations of the train but in the event of a break in the connection between the cars carrying the said coupler heads by disconnecting the coupler members 14 and 15, a forcible separation of the heads 10 and 11 will be effected which will allow the blocks 56 to slide outwardly beneath the. presser feet 57 accompanying the withdrawal of the plugs 50 by reason of such separation incident to the pull exerted upon said plugs by the connectors 52.

\Vhile the form of the invention herein shown and described is what is believed to be the preferable embodiment thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the form, proportion and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

In the modified form of the device illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings, the pipe couplers embody all of the essential elements of the preferred form of the device. The pipe couplers 10 and 11 are attached beneath the coupler heads 14' and 15 re spectively, by means of brackets 12' and 13", it being noted that the pipe couplers are removably attached to the said brackets by means of reduced ends 16 of the pipe couplers freely positioned through the perforated lugs 17 upon the said brackets.

The pipe coupler heads are each provided with a plug 50 connected by means of a flexible pipe 52' to a passage 34 Within the pipe coupler head, which passage communicates through an axial bore of the reduced end 16 with the line pipe 25 of the train. A receiving socket 29 is provided in the pipe coupler heads adapted for the reception of the plug 50 of the adjacent coupler which plug is retained in position by a catch 62' operated by the compressed fluid in substantially the same manner as in the preferred form of the invention. The passage through the coupler head is automatically opened upon the insertion of the plug 50 also in substantially the manner described. It will thus be seen that upon coupling up the adjacent heads by inserting the plug 50' within the sockets 29', the plugs will be operatively retained by the catches 62 while communication will be effected between the connected ends of the train pipe 25".

What I claim new is 1. A train pipe coupler comprising oppositely positioned hand shaped coupling heads, each (if the said heads having an angular fluid passage therethrough terminating at the forward and rearward ends of the head, a line pipe tapped into the end of the passage at the rear of each head, flexible connecting pipes secured within the forward ends of the said passages, connecting plugs attached to the free ends of the said connecting pipes and having axial bores therethrough terminating in a transverse port, each of the said heads being provided with an inwardly tapering receiving socket for one of the said plugs and intersecting the passage within said head.

2. A train pipe coupler comprising oppositely positioned hand-shaped coupling ieads, each of the said heads having an angular fluid passage therethrough terminating at the forward and rearward ends of the head, a line pipe tapped into the end of the passage at the rear of each head, flexible connecting pipes secured within the forward ends of the said passages, connecting plugs attached to the free ends of the said connecting pipes and having axial bores therethrough terminating in a transverse port, each of the said heads being provided with an inwardly tapering receiving socket for one of said plugs and intersecting the passage within said head; and a valve member shiftably arranged within the passage of each head normally projecting within the socket thereof within the depressing path of movement of one of said plugs.

3. A train pipe coqupler comprising oppositely positioned hand-shaped coupling heads, each of the said heads having an anular fluid passage therethrough terminating at the forward and rearward ends of the head, a line pipe tapped into the end of the passage at the rear of each head, flexible connecting pipes secured within the forward ends of the said passages, connecting plugs attached to the free ends of the said connecting pipes and having axial bores therethreugh terminating in a transverse port, each of the said heads being provided with an inwardly tapering receiving socket for one of the said plugs and intersecting the passage within said head, a valve member shiftably arranged within the passage of each head normally projecting within the socket thereof within the depressing path of movement of one of said plugs, an inclined block portion upon each of the said plugs, presser feet for said block portions pivo-tally carried by said heads, and pistons opera:

tively connected to the said presser feet and being in operative communication with the said passages.

4. A device of the class described comprising in combination with train coupler members, oppositely positioned similar coupling heads secured therebeneath and having fluid passages therethrough and inwardly extending tapered sockets intersecting the said passages, outlet and inlet pipes connected with the outer ends of the said passages, valves within the said passages, valve opening plugs fitted within the said sockets when the heads are operatively coupled together, and flexible connecting pipes between the inner ends of the said passages and the said plugs.

5. A coupler head comprising two similar sections secured in flat engagement with each other and having an angular valve passage therethrough and further having a plug receiving tapered socket in one end thereof, a tapered plug having a fluid passage therethrough, and a flexible pipe connector between the said plug and the end of the said passage at the side of the head opposite the said socket.

6. A coupler head comprising two similar sections secured in flat engagement with each other and having an angular valve passage therethrough and further having a plug receiving tapered socket in one end thereof, a tapered plug having a fluid passage therethrough, a flexible pipe connector between the said plug and the end of the said passage at the side of the head opposite the said socket, the said head being providedwith a chamber having an opening between the same and the said passage, a valve shift ably arranged within the said chamber, a plug retaining presser foot pivoted upon the said head, and operative connections between the said foot and t e said valve.

In testimonv whereof I a x my signature.

JOSEPH PONIATOSKI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents. Washington, D. G." 

